


the love game

by actuallyshua



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Dialogue Heavy, Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Marijuana, Matchmaking, lazy nights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25838107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actuallyshua/pseuds/actuallyshua
Summary: While he wanted his best friends to be happy in life, to find love in each other and to grow together into something beautiful, Felix wanted a dog a hell of a lot more.Or -Felix and Chan make a bet at the expense of their best friend's love lives.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Han Jisung | Han/Seo Changbin
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	the love game

**Author's Note:**

  * For [epochjeong (pinkwinwin)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkwinwin/gifts).



> to shauna. thanks for letting me use your boys to get back into the groove of writing. i mean sure this was also an excuse for me to write changbin covered in tattoos but .... besides the point. thank you!
> 
> i haven't written a fic in almost three months everyone go easy on me here
> 
> enjoy chapter one! <3

It was very often that Felix left his job covered in cuts and bruises. People who didn’t know him assumed he had some sort of rough and tumble job, something that required extreme power and grit. 

But no. Amongst the scratches and the accidental punch to the face, there were kisses and love bites and wagging tails. And no matter how often Seungmin told him not to let the dogs jump on him, Felix would hold them close to this chest when no one else was looking. 

Saying goodbye was always the hardest. Putting the dogs away in their respective kennels with a few extra treats tugged at his heart strings, wishing he could take them all home with him. There was only so much love he could give them during his eight hour shifts, only so long he could make them feel like home. 

If it weren’t for his stubborn landlord and even more stubborn boyfriend, he’d have at least two in his arms as he fell asleep at night. 

“Alright kiddos,” Felix called out to the kennel, the dogs fairly quiet after hearing his voice paired with the soothing music they always played at lights out, “Sleep tight!”

He couldn’t linger for too long or else his emotions would get the best of him, so he quickly closed the door and headed to the front of the dimly lit shelter. Seungmin was busy on the computer, shooting off last minute emails and looking as though he hadn’t slept in eight days. 

He most likely hadn’t. 

“Dogs are all set. Do you need help with anything else?” 

Seungmin looked up quickly, his stern look suddenly cracking into a wide smile, “No no. You go on ahead. I’ll see you Monday, enjoy your weekend!” 

“Thanks. You too!” 

Felix was quick to gather his things, he sent off one last wave to Seungmin before exiting out into the summer evening. Still warm from the heat of the day, his skin almost immediately tingled from the humidity. The city streets were always busiest around this time, Felix’s favorite. 

Schools getting out, the suits brushing past him in order to catch the train before rush hour, young couples geared up for dates and hoping to make their reservations on time. It made him feel alive, like he was part of something so much bigger than anything he could ever really understand. 

The sun hung low between the skyscrapers, bouncing light off of the windows and onto the sidewalks, making them seem much more beautiful. Felix didn’t mind the blinding light, often relishing in it. 

His walk was always fairly quick, the destination only a few blocks from the shelter. The outside was a far contrast from the drawn on paw prints and cartoon dogs he was used to. Felix two years ago would’ve never even looked twice at the establishment. Felix in this moment grew giddy at the sight. 

Harsh lines and a dragon with red eyes swirled around the entrance, as if daring you to enter. It was not a place for the weak hearted, certainly not. With it’s loud music that could be heard before even opening the door, the terrifying yet stunning artwork that lined the red and black walls that could be seen upon first step in, it seemed like something more horror movie than real life. 

But this, to Felix, was his fourth home. 

The shelter was third. His own home was second. 

And first, always his first, could be seen as soon as he entered the tattoo shop, talking to his last client of the day with a smile that still made Felix a bit weak at the knees. So kind, so gentle, so glaring in comparison to the ink that swirled the summer tanned skin. 

Chan. 

Their eyes locked for a moment, enough to sate him, and Chan flashed him a smile while holding up one finger. Felix returned the smile before nodding and taking his usual spot. The shop was emptying out, Felix nodding goodbyes to some artists as they began their journeys home, but three always remained there long after the doors were locked. 

“Hey, man! You bring me anything to eat?” Jisung flopped himself down in the large chair behind the front desk, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Not unless you’d be satisfied with a few dog treats.” 

Jisung scrunched up his face at this, “No, thank you. I guess we’ll stick to ordering pizza. This client has been talking to Chan for thirty years already,” He nodded this head towards the two, “Can’t he take a hint?” 

Chan was far too kind to ever tell a client when to stop talking to him, enjoying their company and stories far too much. That was why he got into this field, after all. While art was something Chan worked hard, spent years honing that craft, loving people came naturally to him. 

Even when they were distant acquaintances, Felix only stopping by to bring his old roommate Changbin some lunch or company on his break, Chan would smile and wave and create conversation between them. And in that conversation, something blossomed.

It was slow moving and sticky sweet, like molasses. Each smile was soon paired with lingering eyes, each goodbye came with a hug. Even Changbin, in all his stoic glory, picked up on the sparks that made fire every time Chan and Felix were together. 

Felix started bringing lunch for two. 

And soon, Changbin spent his breaks alone. 

In the months spent in the shop, Felix learned about Chan as though he were reading a picture book. Because in a way, he was. Chan’s body told his story. Each swirl of ink allowed Felix to see the pieces of Chan’s life in motion. They crawled up his arms, danced on the back of his neck. One even dotted right under his left eye, a red rose. 

Another, that Felix saw six months in, across his chest and down his stomach. And Felix’s favorite, the one he traced with delicate fingertips as he would fall asleep, the bloody faced tiger nestled amongst the most fragile of flowers, covering Chan’s back. 

Felix’s stories weren’t quite as storybook, but Chan listened all the same. He wondered if they were too different, if this was no more than Felix’s dream of love that would fizzle like any true young summer romance. 

But Chan kissed him, bare skin and all, and told him in a voice just above a whisper, “There is no one else for me but you.” 

They believed each other. Felix believed that Chan loved him even if he didn’t look like the type who would fit into his lifestyle. Chan believed that Felix loved him no matter how people stared at them in public. 

And so, here they were. Felix coming by everyday after he would finish work. Chan closing up his beloved shop. And the two walking, hand in hand, to the tiny apartment they called home. 

With Changbin and Jisung in tow, naturally. 

Because while they both had apartments of their own, they seemed to find much more comfort in Felix and Chan’s shared space. 

Speaking of…

“Changbin is still here, right?”

Felix almost laughed at how Jisung’s cheeks were immediately painted red. Is that all it took these days? Just mentioning his name? He couldn’t help but wonder how Jisung managed to work at the same shop as the boy. 

“Why don’t you ask him?” Jisung looked down at the desk in front of him as a shadow creeped over Felix. 

“Oh, hey Changbin! I was just talking about you.” 

“Good things, I assume. How was work today?” He leaned against the counter, paying no mind to the geeked out receptionist having a heart attack over that small gesture. Felix couldn’t blame Jisung for being love sick over the artist, if he was being honest. 

He’d known Changbin for years and watched him blossom from a shy but gruff painter to a more outgoing and impossibly more gruff tattooer. He remembered Changbin’s first tattoo, a beautiful piece on his left forearm. That grew into a sleeve, all black and white, yet beautifully full of life. 

Eventually his hands disappeared under ink. His chest and back quick to follow in their wake.

The only two pieces of color could be found on his face, a dagger with royal purple details starting at his left temple and ending his sharp jaw. The other, Jisung’s favorite if you’d ask him, a hyper realistic to an almost terrifying degree bat that Chan had done across his neck. The piece climbed up his jaw and stopped just before his chin. The red Chan had used pigmented so deeply, Felix was sure it would never fade. 

Much to Changbin’s delight. 

“Work was okay. Another day of wanting to adopt every single dog we have. Were you busy?” 

“Busy enough. We all still on for tonight?” He asked the both of them, Jisung still pretending to be too deep in paperwork to answer. 

Felix nodded, “Definitely. Just need to get Chan out of here and we’ll be good to go!” 

“I can help with that.” Changbin slapped the counter once, leaving them alone once more before interjecting between Chan and his client. 

Felix looked towards Jisung, who was disgustingly looking towards Changbin. 

“Oh, come on. It’s been months of this, Jisung. Aren’t you tired? I’m exhausted just watching all of this.” 

“Shut up! You know how he is! He’s impossible to read. Sometimes I think he’s about to ask me to marry him and then other times he doesn’t even look at me. What does that even mean?”

It means he likes you, Felix wanted to say. But Felix had said those words thousands of times over the last year and a half only to have it fall on deaf ears. Jisung didn’t believe him and neither one of them would make the first move. That left Felix and Chan in the middle. Chan having to listen to Changbin attempt to be subtle as he spoke about Jisung, Felix having to deal with Jisung getting too high and quite literally crying over Changbin. 

Pitiful, really. 

They shifted their gaze to the door as the bell rang, signaling their freedom. 

“Finally!” Chan shouted, rushing over to Felix and scooping him up in strong arms. A display that their friends turned their noses up at, Felix held Chan’s face in his hands and kissed him with feather light lips. The coolness of Chan’s labret piercing still sent chills down his spine when he’d gone a day without feeling it. 

“Missed you.” Felix whispered, nudging their noses against each other.

“Missed you more. You ready?” 

“Yeah, yeah!” Jisung chimed in, bag already across his chest and fingers on the light switch, “Let’s go already!” 

Twenty-three minutes passed before Felix found himself lounging on his couch, Chan’s arm around his shoulder and heart beating against his back. Changbin and Jisung were bickering like a married couple over which Halloween movie was the best, a joint floating between the two of them. The apartment was foggy, Felix in a daze but feeling like he was flying. 

Their routine might be boring to some, delinquent to others. Felix couldn’t imagine anything else. 

“Can we order that pizza now? I think I might die of starvation.” Jisung rolled back, body hitting the floor with a gentle thump. 

Chan’s laughter rumbled against Felix’s body, “I’ll get to it.” He patted Felix gently, a signal for him to move, before getting up and grabbing his phone, “Two cheese, two pepperoni?” 

“Deal. Wait.” Changbin snatched the joint from Jisung, who let out a noise of protest but showed no signs of moving, “Get those breadsticks too. Oh and the sticky cinnamon pull apart things.” 

“Hungry?” Felix raised his eyebrows, dodging the smoke cloud that Changbin exhaled in his face. 

“Please. I know for a fact if I didn’t tell him to order that, you’d be wishing for it. You do that every time.” 

“He’s right.” Jisung popped back up, eyes heavy lidded, with a sway, “Chan can you hurry up? I feel like I’m about to pass out.” 

Changbin laughed at this, throwing a gentle elbow against the boy’s chest, “Lightweight.” 

“Oh, excuse me. Trying to keep up with you is nearly impossible. Look at your body mass.” In a rare moment of boldness from Jisung, he picked up and squeezed Changbin’s arm, “You’re built like a tank.”

It was lost on the two but certainly not on Felix. Jisung’s fingers lingered on Changbin’s skin for half a beat longer than just friends. Changbin hung his face down to conceal the smile that threatened to crack his lips. 

It happened all the time, always under Felix’s watch.

When they’d be out to dinner and their hands would graze, each pulling back like they’d be jolted with electricity. That time it was raining and they had to share an umbrella, Changbin hooking his arm around Jisung’s shoulders because that was just more comfortable. 

He wondered what was holding them back. 

Fear. Ignorance. 

Maybe they just needed a little push. 

Felix glanced from them to Chan as he finished up ordering the food, returning to the couch with an unknowing smile. The cogs were turning, his mind already formulating something that should’ve happened years ago. 

No matter how much laughter filled the space, mixing with smoke and pizza sauce and inside jokes they would tell for years, Felix had had enough of this. 

Four empty pizza boxes, a half eaten box of breadsticks, and a crushed pan of cinnamon pull aparts later, Chan and Felix were finally alone in their room. Freshly showered and Felix’s neck aching from a few too hard bites to his fragile skin, Felix was staring up at the ceiling. The only sound was Chan settling in next to him, sheets and blankets moving about as though he were a puppy trying to find the perfect position. 

“I have an idea.” Felix spoke, Chan stilling at the sound.

A gentle hum could be heard before a chuckle, “That’s almost never a good thing.” 

Felix rolled his eyes at this before turning over and landing on top of Chan, legs on either side. Chan’s eyes were telling a much different story than Felix’s mind, clearly, as his hands found their place on Felix’s hips. 

“I think we should play a game.” 

“A game?” Chan gave his body a gentle squeeze, “This isn’t like you. Not that I’m complaining. What’s the game?” 

“Whoever gets Jisung and Changbin together first, wins.” 

Chan stopped the pulsating squeezes and furrowed his eyebrows, hands dropping to Felix’s thighs, “Seriously?” 

“Yes! I think it would be fun.” 

“Alright,” Chan cleared his throat, accepting the fate that this was indeed not a wild sex game and instead a plot to mingle in the love lives of their friends, “So what’s at stake? Winner wins what, exactly?” 

“If I win, you let me bring home a dog.” Felix smiled as Chan laughed, their bodies moving in sync. 

“Fine, fine. Better be some pretty high stakes for me, then.” 

Felix took a moment to look down, butterflying his hands across Chan’s painted body. It was beautiful, breathtaking even. Unlike anything Felix had ever seen before. And it was his. Forever. 

So, truthfully, the least he could do was spice things up for the man who had given him everything. 

“If you win, I’ll let you fuck me in the tattoo shop.” He lowered his voice, leaning over so his lips hovered over Chan’s ear, “In the middle of the day. Where anyone could find us.” 

It was never verbalized, more like physicalized, that Chan was in on the game. The aching in Felix’s back in the next morning gave him all the confirmation he needed. Now was the time for plotting and scheming.

Because while he wanted his best friends to be happy in life, to find love in each other and to grow together into something beautiful, he wanted a dog a hell of a lot more.

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/SOHNlSM)
> 
> comments and kudos always appreciated <3


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